Events & Opportunities
June 20, 2026
Talking About Gender: Learning, Unlearning, and Understanding
Do you remember the first time you were taught how to “be a man” or “act more ladylike”? Do you recall moments of permission when you got to break free from the pressures of your gender? Everyone experiences gender differently, which can cause confusion when the gender of others challenges our own understanding. By exploring our own histories with gender, we can open ourselves up to being curious about the experiences of others. In this conversation, participants will be invited to reflect on and share the ways gender was taught to them, moments they challenged gender expectations, and ways they live in their gender today.
This conversation will take place in the Anderson Rooms on the plaza level of Salem Public Library.
11:00 a.m., Salem Public Library, Salem
June 24, 2026
Reading and Discussion Group: Working Class Literature
6:00 p.m., Bold Coffee and Books, Portland
June 25, 2026
The Pursuit of Happiness
The most famous phrase from the Declaration of Independence is: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Why did the founders include “the pursuit of Happiness” in the Declaration? What did they mean by this phrase? What does it mean to us today?
Register for this free online event.
3:00 p.m. Pacific, Virtual Event, statewide
June 25, 2026
What Does It Mean to Be American?
This conversation will explore when and how we define ourselves as an “American.” Does knowing the Constitution make us American? Does living on land controlled by the United States of America make us American? Through conversation and nonverbal exploration, we will share what “American” means to us individually and within the communities we belong to or came from, and what perspectives shaped our understanding of American identity and who is included in “We the People.”
6:00 p.m., Hood River County Library District, Hood River
June 25, 2026
Tertulias...¡de película! en Español: "Malamadre"
Tertulias… ¡de Película! Es un encuentro trimestral en español donde exploramos cortometrajes, documentales y películas, y conversamos abierta y sinceramente sobre las ideas y emociones que nos despierta el cine. Es un espacio para conectar, aprender y compartir, pensado para personas hispanohablantes que desean vivir historias a través del cine.
5:30 a 7:30 p.m., Redmond Public Library, Redmond
June 26, 2026
Talking About Values Across Political Divides
“How can I be me without making it difficult for you to be you?” This question gets at the fundamental challenge of being in society together. We live in a contentious political world, and it’s difficult to talk about our deepest values and beliefs in safe, civil, and respectful ways. In 2021, the Pew Research Center found that nearly six in ten Americans felt that political conversations with those you disagree with are generally stressful and frustrating, as opposed to being interesting and informative. If we avoid such conversations, we lose opportunities to form a community with others that reflects our best selves. How can we learn to share our values in ways that bring us together rather than push us further apart?
5:30 p.m., Cook Memorial Library, La Grande
June 27, 2026
What Does It Mean to Be American?
This conversation will explore when and how we define ourselves as an “American.” Does knowing the Constitution make us American? Does living on land controlled by the United States of America make us American? Through conversation and nonverbal exploration, we will share what “American” means to us individually and within the communities we belong to or came from, and what perspectives shaped our understanding of American identity and who is included in “We the People.”
2:00 p.m., Jacksonville Branch Library, Jacksonville
June 27, 2026
Portland Indie Book and Art Fair
An outdoor fair featuring local independent publishers including Oregon Humanities.
11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Honey Latte Cafe, Portland
June 29, 2026
Softening Sharp Teeth: Getting Curious about Conflict
Interpersonal conflict and disagreement are part of being in relationship with others, but many of us fear conflict. Motivated by many factors, including cultural norms, concern for social consequences, and personal safety, many of us avoid it. What might we learn and how might we grow by making more room for conflict? What skills do we need to responsibly engage in conflict? How can shifting our relationship to conflict offer us new perspectives about ourselves and the groups we belong to? This community conversation is an opportunity to reflect on our relationships to interpersonal conflict outside of where we might most often encounter it, like the heated context of an argument at the dinner table or online. Facilitator Emily Squires will lead a judgement- and jargon-free discussion of what we mean when we say conflict, considering how interpersonal conflict shapes our lives and tools to use when experiencing it.
Register for this free online event.
10:00 a.m. Pacific, Virtual Event, statewide
June 30, 2026
Can We Get Along?
This conversation will explore when and how we define ourselves as an “American.” Does knowing the Constitution make us American? Does living on land controlled by the United States of America make us American? Through conversation and nonverbal exploration, we will share what “American” means to us individually and within the communities we belong to or came from, and what perspectives shaped our understanding of American identity and who is included in “We the People.”
Register for this free online event.
4:00 p.m. Pacific, Virtual Event, statewide